Sorry but there's no way I can agree with you on Flash, GL, Plastic Man, Hawkman, Shazam, Hawkgirl or Harley Quinn. I'll accept arguments for Supergirl and Batgirl because of their logos but that's about it. I think most of those are B-list DC characters. The Hawks are probably c-listers.

I'm surprised you don't even consider Flash an A-lister. I think your criteria is way too narrow. Fortunately it's just your opinion. Even Mattel considers some of the characters above to be important A-listers worth offering in the first 2 or 3 waves of any DC line they'll ever produce.

Plastic Man/Shazam- had their own TV ShowsGreen Lantern, Flash, Aquaman, Hawkman, and Hawkgirl- all appeared on Super Friends and/or Justice League UnlimitedHarley Quinn- probably the second most popular Bat-Villain today, right behind the Joker. Any merchandise with Harley Quinn on it sells out EVERYWHERE...

DC once published a 1982 color guide for their most popular heroes which can be seen in the gorgeous DC Vault book from a few years back- on that list is every hero I mentioned above, plus Green Arrow. Sure it is about 31 years old now, but I'd say for the most part, DC has kept those characters in the public eye.

Sorry but there's no way I can agree with you on Flash, GL, Plastic Man, Hawkman, Shazam, Hawkgirl or Harley Quinn. I'll accept arguments for Supergirl and Batgirl because of their logos but that's about it. I think most of those are B-list DC characters. The Hawks are probably c-listers.

I'm surprised you don't even consider Flash an A-lister. I think your criteria is way too narrow. Fortunately it's just your opinion. Even Mattel considers some of the characters above to be important A-listers worth offering in the first 2 or 3 waves of any DC line they'll ever produce.

Me personally, I do think Flash is an A-lister. My DC trinity is Batman, Superman and Flash, but I know the general public doesn't feel that way. I'm sure some of you around here remember but I ran a poll about this topic a few years back and polled as many people as I could from my life and the data was really interesting. Most of them didn't know a thing outside of Batman, his family or characters and Superman. It was a small sample (I think I got somewhere between 50 and 70 people to answer the questions and it was a pretty diverse group) but the results were great. Honestly I'd like to do another one now that comic book characters have been so prominent in hollywood.

I just think as far as selling something to that mom and kid crowd they're always crowing about, it's a very small group that garners any attention. Harley is insanely popular with people who keep up with this stuff, but I bet none of the current moms I know would be able to tell me who she is.

I've had parents come into my comic book shop asking me for Harley Quinn figures as well as Hawkgirl figures- the impact of the Bruce Timm cartoon series can't be ignored as far as how well-known a character is. The Teen Titans are also starting to come into the public consciousness again as I've had requests for Cyborg, Robin, Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy product lately.

On a related note, I once had a friend of mine tell me that his friend didn't consider Wonder Woman iconic at all, to which I said to him- tell your friend he is stupid.

I've had parents come into my comic book shop asking me for Harley Quinn figures as well as Hawkgirl figures- the impact of the Bruce Timm cartoon series can't be ignored as far as how well-known a character is. The Teen Titans are also starting to come into the public consciousness again as I've had requests for Cyborg, Robin, Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy product lately.

On a related note, I once had a friend of mine tell me that his friend didn't consider Wonder Woman iconic at all, to which I said to him- tell your friend he is stupid.

Well if they're coming into a comic book shop, then they either follow this stuff closely enough to know or someone told them to go there looking for this or that. Those aren't the type of people I'm thinking of when I say general public.

Some of these people have never set foot into a comics shop before..(they've told me as much), but to be fair we also display our super-hero wares in the front window of the store, so someone who's kid was looking for a super-hero toy would probably go into a store which has a huge Hot Toys Batmobile in the window.

Yup. DC Universe lasted a while, so I guess we'll just forget every other failed attempt:DC Infinite Heroes.

I don't consider IH a failed attempt. I mean sure there are some glaring holes. However we got something like 100 characters right?

About 150 if you count figure variants of the characters. When Mattel ended the line in order to produce Young Justice figures, the still had an unreleased number of DC Infinite Heroes. Target, Kmart and some Toys-R-Us stores were still carrying the line up until it was cancelled. After that, some last minute figures made it to TJ Maxx and Marshalls stores.

I just hope that Mattel will do Comic style costumes in future waves of the DC Comics Multiverse line.

I just think as far as selling something to that mom and kid crowd they're always crowing about, it's a very small group that garners any attention. Harley is insanely popular with people who keep up with this stuff, but I bet none of the current moms I know would be able to tell me who she is.

I disagree with the Harley statement. I think proof is the fact that I can't find that Imaginext Harley/Joker two pack. That's a line directed towards kids more than adults.

I don't HATE these Total Heroes figures, they just aren't for me. If they're looking to get the moms & dads buying toys, maybe it'll work. I do like the price point ($9.99 for a 6 inch figure), which compares well against Hasbro's 3 3/4" main lines, which are half the toy for the same price. Stylistically, however, they do nothing for me.

I just think as far as selling something to that mom and kid crowd they're always crowing about, it's a very small group that garners any attention. Harley is insanely popular with people who keep up with this stuff, but I bet none of the current moms I know would be able to tell me who she is.

I disagree with the Harley statement. I think proof is the fact that I can't find that Imaginext Harley/Joker two pack. That's a line directed towards kids more than adults.

A pack that includes the Joker. It could be the Joker and a cigarette and it would sell.

DC has more A-listers than any other property besides Star Wars, if A-lister is defined as popular characters that non-comic book fans would recognize. I agree with Jim_Abell's list, minus Aquaman and Catwoman, as DC's A-listers (eight total). Which is probably why Mattel feels so comfortable scraping lines and starting over instead of rebranding and extending their current lines.

As far as the Total Heroes: If it's not JLU, I'm not interested. They replace it with Young Justice and I lost interest.

_________________I turn my back on you for two seconds, and suddenly you're 80 years old and covered in robots!

Aquaman and Catwoman are most definitely a-list. Catwoman has had so many iterations over the years and everyone still remembers her not only from 60s Batman but also from Batman Returns as well as Dark Knight Rises.

I am probably the biggest Aquaman fan on this board, and even I am not convinced he's an A-lister. I wouldn't put him on the same level as Batman, Robin, Superman, and Wonder Woman, for example. I'd consider him on the borderline of A and B like GL and Flash.

The point is, Mattel probably bought the DC license for Batman. I bet Batman and his allies/enemies is the vast majority of all DC toy sales.

Restarting the line with Batman and the rest is probably a good move, since most toy buyers (or consumers, anyway) are the under 12 set.

If you wanted more C- and D-list classic characters, well, see my sig.

_________________Leave it up to a billionaire to buy the world some time --- Tony Stark